Citi® Double Cash Card vs. Synchrony Premier World Mastercard®

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Earning 2% cash back on every purchase is a good reward rate. A credit card that earns a simple 2% on every purchase means you don’t have to worry about rotating categories. Two such cash back cards are the Citi^® Double Cash Card - 18 month BT offer and the Synchrony Premier World Mastercard®. We compare them both so you can decide whether to apply for one or both.

Welcome Offer

The Citi^® Double Cash Card - 18 month BT offer is currently offering this: Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of your Citi Double Cash® card account opening.

The Synchrony Premier World Mastercard® does not have a welcome offer at this time. Easy win for Citi.

Cash Back Rewards

The Citi^® Double Cash Card - 18 month BT offer pays you 1% cash back when you make a purchase and 1% cash back when you pay the bill. Cardholders who pay their bills in full every month will automatically earn 2% cash back. If you carry a balance, you’ll earn the other 1% cash back when you pay for your purchase.

For a limited time, the Citi card pays 5% cash back on select Citi travel bookings as well, through 12/31/24.

Synchrony Premier World Mastercard® offers a more straightforward cash back system: you’ll earn 2% cash back on every purchase. It automatically gets credited to your account every month. Synchrony calls it “no mental math.”

Here are the details:

Citi^® Double Cash Card - 18 month BT offer 

 Rewards:

Synchrony Premier World Mastercard® 

Rewards:

Rates and Fees

The Citi^® Double Cash Card - 18 month BT offer offers 0% APR on balance transfers for the first 18 months. This card is a great option if you’re trying to pay off higher-interest credit card debt. After that, your rate will be 19.24% - 29.24% variable, depending on creditworthiness.

The Synchrony Premier World Mastercard® does not offer an introductory rate at this time. Your APR will be 19.24%, 25.24%, or 32.24% variable, depending on creditworthiness.

Neither card has an annual fee, but they both have foreign transaction fees. If you travel internationally, take a different credit card with no foreign transaction fees.

See our list of Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards.

Who the Citi^® Double Cash Card - 18 month BT offer Is Best For

Since you earn 1% on purchases and the other 1% when you pay the bill, the Citi^® Double Cash Card - 18 month BT offer is ideal for people who pay their bills in full every month. This card also works if you plan to pay off higher-interest credit cards (note that balance transfers do not earn cash back).

Who the Synchrony Premier World Mastercard® Is Best For

The Synchrony Premier World Mastercard® may be best if you tend to carry a balance. It has a simple 2% cash back structure on every purchase, and rewards get automatically credited to your statement each month. If you prefer a no fuss-way to earn and redeem rewards, this card is for you.

Does it make sense to get both cards?

Maybe. Since neither card has an annual fee, you could get the Citi Double Cash to transfer a balance and then use the Synchrony Premier card to make purchases and earn the 2% cash back.

If you don’t mind dealing with rotating categories, other cards pay a higher cash back amount on certain categories. To maximize your rewards, you might consider getting a card that offers a signup bonus and higher cash back on the categories you spend the most on along with one of these cards for 2% cash back on all your other purchases. Some cards charge annual fees, though, so weigh the benefits against any fees.

Approval Odds

Both cards require excellent credit.

The credit score data provided for some of the cards listed below came from publicly available information in a number of forums. The accuracy of the information cannot be verified. Keep in mind that credit card issuers consider more than an applicant’s credit score and that underwriting standards change over time.

Approval odds for the Citi^® Double Cash Card - 18 month BT offer

Approval odds for the Synchrony Premier World Mastercard®

Approval odds are pretty similar for each card. Though from the data above, we do see more denials for Citi Double Cash. If you do plan to transfer a balance, Citi Double Cash is the card for you. If you prefer the simple 2% cash back on all purchases and also like that it gets automatically credited to your account every month, then the Synchrony Premier card may be the best fit for you.